CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR TEAM GOLD AND PERSONAL SUCCESS AT THE 2007 STUTTGART WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS! NOT ONLY DID YOU SERVE AS A LEADER AND COMPETITIVE ROCK FOR THE U.S. GOLD MEDAL WINNING TEAM, BUT YOU BROUGHT HOME SILVER AND BRONZE MEDALS ON FLOOR AND VAULT RESPECTIVELY. AS WITH EVERY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE, THERE'S AN ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF EMOTIONS. WE’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR STUTTGART EXPERIENCE!
DM: TELL US ABOUT YOUR VOYAGE TO STUTTGART?
ASAC: The day of departure for Stuttgart we actually had training in the morning in Houston, which was light (only conditioning and some Bars and Beam). After morning workout, we showered quickly, packed our things up and made our way to the airport. We flew to Newark, and from Newark we had our 7 hour flight to Frankfurt. Once we arrived in Frankfurt we had to collect our bags and then take a 3 hour bus ride to Stuttgart. Once we finally got to Stuttgart, we settled into our hotel and got some lunch. After a few hours of rest, we trained at a local gym for a few hours just to get our bodies moving.
DM: WHAT WAS THE INTENSITY LEVEL DURING YOUR FIRST PRACTICE IN GERMANY? WERE THE YOUNGER TEAM MEMBERS NERVOUS, WERE YOU
NERVOUS? WHAT WAS THE VIBE BETWEEN THE ATHLETES, COACHES, AND MARTA KAROLYI?ASAC: The first day of official training is always kind of crazy. Everyone is a little stressed from traveling and it isn't always the best workout. Marta and the coaches were relatively calm, which made practice run a little more smoothly. I was very proud of the younger girls on the team. They handled themselves very well and they didn't get distracted by the other teams in the gym. We went in, did our assignments and left.
DM: TEAM USA HAD AN IMPRESSIVE TEAM TOTAL AFTER THE PRELIMINARY COMPETITION. TEAM USA WAS IN A SIMILAR POSITION AT LAST YEAR’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS GOING INTO THE TEAM FINALS?
ASAC: Going into finals, the team was confident that we could do well. We had high hopes and expectations. I knew that if we went into the competition and performed well, we would have a good chance at the gold...but I knew it wasn't going to be easy. The girls were pumped up after prelims and were thinking we had it in the bag already, but Nastia and I had to give them a little “come to Jesus talk” to remind them that last year we were in this same position and came home with a silver, which brought them back to reality. I told them that it was going to be a hard meet and we couldn't hold back if we wanted that gold medal!
DM: IT WAS CLEAR THAT YOU FUNCTIONED WELL AS THE EMOTIONAL LEADER AND CAPTAIN OF TEAM USA. HOW DID YOU KEEP YOUR TEAMMATES CALM? WAS THERE ANYTHING SPECIAL YOU'D SAY TO MOTIVATE THEM?
ASAC: The role of team leader came natural to me. I was the oldest and one of the most experienced and I felt that it was my job to help out the younger girls as much as I could. When the time came for us to compete, everyone was excited and a little nervous. I just told the girls that they have worked hard for this and I knew they had it in them to help bring our team to the top.
DM: WE'LL NEVER FORGET YOUR DISPLAY OF EMOTIONS AFTER YOUR FLOOR PERFORMANCE IN THE TEAM FINAL! IT WAS CLEAR THAT YOU KNEW TEAM USA HAD WON THE GOLD MEDAL. YOUR TEARS 
APPEARED TO REPRESENT RELIEF AND ACHIEVEMENT. CAN YOU SHARE WITH US WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?
ASAC: After my floor routine, it was like all the stress that had been on my shoulders had been lifted off. I knew in my heart that we had won even before that score came out. Then the tears came, it was like all of my emotions that I've held in through the whole competition came out right then and there after that routine. It's the best feeling in the world knowing that your routine and your score is what clinched that gold medal we wanted so badly.
DM: AFTER COMING OFF OF THE HIGH OF WINNING THE TEAM GOLD, YOU RETURNED TO THE EVENT FINALS TO EARN A BRONZE ON VAULT AND SILVER ON FLOOR. YOUR REACTION AFTER YOUR FLOOR ROUTINE SHOWED US THAT YOU WERE NOT SATISFIED. WHAT WAS GOING ON IN YOUR HEAD?
ASAC: The first thing that went through my mind after that 2 1/2 layout was "I AM NOT FALLING ON THIS!" I tried to cover the bobble up quickly and finish my routine, which I managed to do. I'm not going to lie--I was upset after seeing my score. Even though I knew it wasn't my best floor routine, I only really had that bobble and I had the thought in my mind that I was going to get my floor title back.
DM: OVERALL, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT YOU MUST BE PLEASED TO EARN THE “COMPLETE SET” OF GOLD, SILVER, AND BRONZE MEDALS AT THE 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE COMPETITION FOR YOU?
ASAC: It was definitely bringing home that Team Gold medal, After falling short last year it was really important to us to get the job done this year, and we did.
DM: WHAT WAS YOUR HIGHLIGHT, OUTSIDE OF THE COMPETITIVE ARENA, DURING YOUR TRIP TO GERMANY?
ASAC: My highlight of the overall trip was all of the quality time I got to spend with the girls. We are so close now that it’s like we are sisters. BUT, I also had a blast the one morning we got off when we went into town and got to meet up with our parents and go shopping for a few hours.
DM: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR YOUR EDUCATION FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR AND 2008? MARTA KAROLYI STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU NOT PARTICIPATE IN NCAA COLLEGIATE GYMNASTICS THIS UPCOMING SEASON. WILL YOU CONTINUE TO TAKE CLASSES AT BROWN UNIVERSITY?
ASAC: This year I will be attending Brown and taking classes but I will not be competing gymnastics for them. I'm putting my main focus on classes and training for the Olympics.
DM: GOOD FOR YOU. DID MARTA ADVISE NOT TO ATTEND CLASSES THIS YEAR? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS DECISION? DID YOU FEEL PRESSURED?
ASAC: No, Marta never told me not to go back to school. She just told me that if I wanted to be on the Olympic Team, I needed to focus on elite gymnastics and not compete NCAA, which I knew I had to do anyways.
DM: YOU’VE BEEN QUOTED AS SAYING THAT COLLEGE LIFE AND COLLEGIATE GYMNASTICS HELPED KEEP YOU “SANE”. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN KEEP YOUR SANITY BY FOCUSING ONLY ON ELITE GYMNASTICS HEADING INTO THE 2008 OLYMPICS??
ASAC: I think as long as I am still in school, going to class and such, I will be able to keep my sanity while training for the Olympics. My roommates are great and support everything I'm doing and always try to help me out when I’m having a rough time.
DM: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A STUDENT-ATHLETE? HOW HAS IT KEPT YOU BALANCED WITH THE INTENSITY OF ELITE GYMNASTICS? WHAT KEEPS YOU MOST BALANCED? (FRIENDS, IPOD, YOGA, ETC.)
ASAC: Attending Brown and taking part in a collegiate sport has given me a sense of normalcy in my life. Most elite level gymnasts don't get the opportunity to have a life outside gymnastics and I feel blessed to have this opportunity to do what I love and get an education and have a social life at the same time. My friends and music is what keeps me the most balanced when I'm stressing.
DM: AS YOU KNOW I’M A BIG FAN OF COLLEGIATE GYMNASTICS, TELL US WHAT COMPETING FOR BROWN UNIVERSITY WAS LIKE FOR YOU? YOU'VE HAD QUITE AN IMPRESSIVE COMPETITIVE SEASON WHILE BALANCING A HECTIC SCHEDULE, WITH COMPETING FOR BROWN, JUGGLING A FULL COLLEGE COARSE LOAD, AND COMPETING THE ELITE SEASON.
ASAC: I loved competing for Brown this last year it was a great learning experience. The girls are amazing and I'm going to miss competing with them. I loved the team atmosphere; it was so different from the individual elite scene that I was use to. I definitely think that competing back to back and every weekend for 12 weeks boosted my consistency especially on beam.
ALICIA HAS RECENTLY MADE THE DECISION TO DECLARE HER PROFESSIONAL STATUS! IF YOU WISH TO CONTACT HER, SHE CAN BE REACHED THROUGH TRINITY ONE MARKETING.
CONTACT "KELLY" AT KELLY@TRINITYONEMARKETING.COM
617-833-9912.
DM: I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A TREAT TO REVISIT THE FIRST INTERVIEW I DID WITH ALICIA BACK IN 2005. IT SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO! THE MELBOURNE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE ALICIA'S FIRST BIG COMPETITION, SO I THOUGHT THAT I'D BE FUN TO SEE HOW THE INTERNATIONAL VETERAN FELT AFTER HER FIRST MEET ON THE WORLD STAGE! ENJOY!
www.Dominique-Moceanu.com sat down with 2005 World Floor Exercise Champion and World Vaulting Bronze Medalist, Alicia Sacramone following the Women’s World Victory Tour, celebrating Team USA’s record-setting performance at the 2005 World Gymnastics Championships, to find out a little more about this charming and ever-popular New Englander!
DM.com: Many contented congratulations to you on your efforts and results throughout 2005 and especially your 2005 World Championship success! Things appear to being going great in your life!
DM.com: How was the Women’s World Victory Tour?
ASAC: It was great, I had a good time hanging out with the girls again and putting on a show for all of our fans!
DM.com: How have things changed, for you, since returning from the 2005 World Championships?
ASAC: Since returning from Worlds the one big thing that has changed is that I went back to school to finish my senior year and I’ve started looking in to Colleges I would like to attend, and at the gym I’m still training and working for the new code right now.
DM.com: As a young gymnast, who did you view as your idols, and how does it feel to know that many girls have placed you into “idol-status”?
ASAC: When I was growing up you (Dominique) were my idol, I wanted to be just like you when I was younger. It is hard for me to imagine being an “idol” for someone, I still just see myself as a normal person. But, it is very flattering that some girls would call me their idol.
DM.com: Were you surprised to know that China’s Cheng Fei failed to qualify for the Floor Event Final?
ASAC: I was extremely surprised when Cheng Fei didn’t qualify to floor finals, I didn’t get to see her routine at prelims I just heard from my coaches that she fell. I was disappointed, she is a great competitor it would have been an honor to compete against her.
DM.com: Did the fall of 2003 World Floor Champion, Daiane Dos Santos affect your performance?
ASAC: Santos’s floor routine was right before mine, I didn’t want to watch because I was so nervous. Nastia was the one who actually told me she fell haha, she was standing there with me and she goes “OH MY GOD….SHE FELL”. To be perfectly honest, I felt that by her falling it put more pressure on me to make my routine.
DM.com: What were the highlights, outside of the gymnastics arena, during the 2005 World Championships? Did you see any kangaroos or koala bears in Australia?
ASAC: The best part of the trip besides the competition had to be going to a sanctuary and seeing all of the native animals to Australia. I also enjoyed spending time with the girls, we became so close, it’s almost like we are sisters now.
DM.com: What are your thoughts on the tie-breaking procedure between Nastia (Liukin) and Chellsie (Memmel) in Melbourne?
ASAC: I personally thing that they both should have received that gold medal; to go out that many places in the decimal is kind of ridiculous. They both performed so well I think they both deserve that gold medal.
DM.com: What does the U.S. Women’s domination of the 2005 World Championships say about the future of Team USA as the World Championships and 2008 Olympic Games approach?
ASAC: I think our performance at the 2005 Worlds showed everyone that we really a force to be reckoned with, and I believe we have good chances of medaling at the next Worlds and Olympic Games.
DM.com: Who do you view as “the future” of U.S. Women’s Gymnastics?
ASAC: I see my little teammates as “the future” of U.S Women’s Gymnastics, they are learning skills that even I can’t do! They are amazing athletes and I can see them representing the USA in international competition in the years to come.
DM.com: What are your thoughts on Chellsie Memmel’s decision to forgo an NCAA career?
ASAC: I think it was a smart decision, she has so much talent and she is so young, if she keeps working hard I feel we will definitely see her on the 08’ Olympic Team.
DM.com: How do anticipate your life changing when you begin college?
ASAC: I am a little nervous to start college actually; the thought of living on my own is kind of scary! But, I’m going to keep training through out college, so I will still have the balance of Gymnastics in my life to keep me grounded.
DM.com: Any thoughts on the 2006 Code of Points?
ASAC: Lets just say the next few years of competition will be interesting.
DM.com: Let’s rewind the clock to the 2004 U.S. National Championships. What are some moments that stick out in your head from the competition, both positive and negative?
ASAC: The one moment that still sticks out in my mind until this day is when I finished my bar routine and I totally blew my chances of making it to trials, the first person that was there for me was you (Dominique). It meant so much to me and after speaking with you it helped me make my decision to continue gymnastics.
DM.com: What have you learned most about yourself from the summer of 2004 to the present day?
ASAC: Never give up, no matter how bad things seem. If you are determined and a fighter then all your hard world will pay off in the end.
DM.com: What are your most immediate plans for the future?
ASAC: I’m planning on going to college, I am also planning on sticking around the Elite scene to try and make it to the next Olympic Games.
DM.com: Thanks so much for your time and good luck in all that you do!
ASAC: Thank You so much!
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